Target rebar connectors, including splice sleeves and mechanical connectors, have been widely used in connections of rebar between the prefabricated components. The rebar connectors have advantages including stably transferring the axial loads as well as being convenient and green construction. The vibrational reduction by damping is one of the most matured vibrational control methods. Dampers designed by damping vibration theory have been widely installed in varies building constructions all over the world. There are various types of material used in the dampers, including metal damping materials, polymers and their composites and viscous fluids etc.
The combination of splice sleeve and damping materials can form damping splice sleeves. Although the damping splice sleeve has a flexible stiffness as compared with the traditional fixed rebar connectors, it has excellent damping performance. The damping splice sleeves can turn fixed rebar connectors into numerous dampers, which can significantly increase the damping coefficient of whole building structures. In normal uses of building structures, the damping splice sleeves embedded in the components for vertical connections are mainly subjected to pressure effects. However, the damping splice sleeves are subjected to tension effects under seismic excitation and damping materials can yield and dissipate seismic energy prior to other building materials (concrete and rebar etc.) around sleeves. So these materials can remarkably reduce damage probability of prefabricated components by installing of damping splice sleeves. If the damping materials are hyper-elastic materials, precast structures can become a flexible damping system with partially self-centering functions.
Traditional rebar connectors have reliable tension properties. Nevertheless, mechanical properties of traditional rebar connectors under complex dynamic loading conditions are still unclear. Reports have shown that there are regional damages in connection of precast buildings when subjected to seismic excitation. The research of dynamic interactions between the rebar connectors and other building materials (e.g., concrete and rebar etc.) is at an initial stage. As a result, the existing technology for connections is not perfect. There is a need of a rebar connector that not only meets normal using requirement but also has advantages such as excellent vibrational control functions and being convenient and economic in constructions.